This is about a difference of opinion. You made it a personal matter. You're the one who showed contempt for Coloradans, contempt towards lifelong conservative Republicans. Many people crossed party lines and made a tough decision in supporting Ref C. The state was split down the middle. Here in El Paso County voters opposed Ref C in the same numbers that it passed statewide. El Paso County is extremely conservative. Such a close vote shows that this issue had support across the political spectrum.
Contrary to what many people have said, TABOR was not repealed. It remains a great experiment. How many states in the nation have a law that allows voters to decide on tax increases? NONE! ZERO! TABOR has shown it has the ability at limiting govt. Bottomline. Colorado still has one of the lowest tax rates in the country. And remember, Ref D failed. There will be no immediate use of TABOR refund money. Everyone who voted for or against Ref C will be keeping a close eye on our elected officials in the state legislature to make sure they don't waste the taxpayers money. That includes myself.
I'll take your word that you will. Of course, the unions and other Dem constituents--who were the principal supporters of this proposal in money, votes, organization etc--have no interest whatsoever in preventing government waste. That was the whole point (for them) of getting C and D passed with no pesky strings on how it was to be spent--to be able to waste it on stuff other than what they were promising the taxpayers it would be spent on. Otherwise, why would they have fought so hard to exclude any binding language that required it be spent on roads etc.
If they keep control of the legislature in 2006 (very likely) and win the governorship (better than 50/50 after the wound Ref C inflicted on Beauprez), those monies are as good as gone.
Given the political tendencies of the media here and the R complicity in passing Ref C, I strongly doubt that anyone will ever be called to account for wasting all or part of the Ref C monies. It would be too embarassing to the R supporters of it to make a big show out of it--so we won't do it. And the media thinks higher taxes are a good thing as a matter of principle. Of course the dems and the unions don't think that wasting money is wasting money. So there will be no exposes that reach the general public, regardless what folks like you and me notice.